We’re fussy about the way we take our tea, spend at least 20 per cent of each day talking about the weather and possess a tendency to say sorry for no real reason; we Brits are one of a kind. The same can be said of our beauty brands – they do things a little differently.
‘We take huge personal pride in supporting British brands on Cult Beauty, but the driving force for stocking so many is that we are incredibly good at creating brilliant, innovative brands that redefine the categories in which they sit,’ says Alexia Inge, founder of beauty website, Cult Beauty. ‘Where would we be without ghd, Charlotte Tilbury taking over the world in make-up, Tan-Luxe’s overhauling of self-tan, Emma Hardie’s Moringa Cleansing Balm, Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer and REN’s industry-busting eco innovation?’ asks Inge. Here are our favourite new home-grown heroes...
SHOP: The Best Products From Our Favourite British Beauty Brands
Beautifully British Line-Up
1 of 15This Works Morning Expert Vitamin C Power Mask, £39
Time: there's never enough of it. That's why we've gone a bit bonkers for This Works Morning Expert Vitamin C Power Mask, £39, which needs just 10 minutes in the morning to take skin from zero (dull, sad and tired) to hero (glowing, fresh and bright). Use it as a mask or cleanser and let the water-activated vitamin C work its magic.
2 of 15Isle of Paradise Express Ultra-Dark Self-Tanning Mousse, £19.95,
Ditch the real deal for Isle of Paradise's vegan Express Ultra-Dark Self-Tanning Mousse, £19.95, which imparts a deep glow in under four hours and contains a number of natural ingredients (coconut, avocado, peppermint) to condition skin to boot.
3 of 15Neom Ultimate Calm Face Wash, £35
If a busy and stressful life is getting you down, add a little scented calm to your morning with Neom Ultimate Calm Face Wash, £35. This cleanser blends avocado, baobab and rose oils with lavender to gently cleanse and de-stress angry skin in a ash.
4 of 15Votary Natural Lip Oil, £30
Created by Arabella Preston, Votary is a brand that makes natural a real luxury. With passion ower and sweet almond oils, Natural Lip Oil, £30, delivers a beautifully glossy-not-sticky shine.
5 of 15Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Hydro-Mist, £43
If you haven't yet got a mist in your desk/bedside table/life then you're missing out on the easiest way to refresh tired skin in a hurry. We're loving Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Hydro-Mist, £43, a 'serum-in-mist', which contains hydrating microalgae and mighty skin-barrier boosters.
6 of 15Cowshed Replenish Uplifting Body Lotion, £22
Cowshed – the aromatherapeutic beauty range of British-born private members' club, Soho House – has had a revamp and smells even better than before. Our pick? Replenish Uplifting Body Lotion, £22, leaves limbs super soft and minds impressively perky.
7 of 15Jo Loves Rose Petal 25, £115 for 100ml
If you didn't already know, Jo Loves is fragrance superstar Jo Malone's new(ish) scent venture and yes – it's all sorts of scent-sational. Case in point, the latest addition – Rose Petal 25, £115 for 100ml – which is one of the freshest incarnations of rose we've met.
8 of 15Floral Street Electric Rhubarb, £58 for 50ml
Take it from us, Floral Street's fruity new fragrance Electric Rhubarb, £58 for 50ml, will t nicely into your summer scent wardrobe; sweet rhubarb, soft-smelling sandalwood and lively gardenia make for a brilliant all-rounder, and the fully recyclable and compostable packaging gets a big thumbs up from us.
9 of 15Laboratory Perfumes Gorse 002 EDT, £65 for 100ml
Housed in cool, brown paper cylinders, Laboratory Perfumes Gorse 002 EDT, £65 for 100ml, is a Brit hipster's fragrant dreams, bottled. Add that to balmy coconut and gorse ower – which smells like long balmy days in the summer breeze – and you've got a must-buy. We're obsessed.
10 of 15Penhaligons Halfeti EDP, £173 for 100ml
Quintessentially British through and through, Penhaligon's has been around since the 1860s and knows its way around perfume. The new Halfeti EDP, [9], £173 for 100ml, isn't cheap but is mysterious and run-after-you- down-the-street lingering thanks to oud, amber, grapefruit and bergamot.
11 of 15Molton Brown Geranium Nefertum EDT, £69 for 100ml
Molton Brown and bathroom goals go hand-in-hand – but it's their new Geranium Nefertum EDT, £69 for 100ml, that we can't get enough of. Technically 'for him', we'll be stealing this and spritzing the crisp green fig leaf, minty geranium and sandalwood left, right and centre.
12 of 15TrinnyLondon Eye2Eye eyeshadow shades, £18 each
British TV presenter Trinny Woodall (of Trinny and Susannah What Not To Wear fame) has recently become a beauty brand guru. Her TrinnyLondon Eye2Eye eyeshadow shades, £18 each, which go on as a cream (with a subtle powder finish) are sultry summer eyes in a pot; for day we love Virtue (champagne with a sparkle) while evening calls for Queen (rich caramel).
13 of 15Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips range, £28 each
Our Brit beauty monarch, Charlotte Tilbury recently launched 11 new shades in her best-selling Hot Lips range, £28 each, proceeds of which (£1 million to be precise) go to Women for Women International, a charity that helps women affected by war. They're named after high-profile women too – we're loving Angel Alessandra, the perfect nude.
14 of 15Topshop Beauty Glow Highlighter Pearls, £12
Buying top-performing products at affordable price points enhances our life. Hence why we're wild for Topshop Beauty's new Glow Highlighter Pearls, £12, which lend an otherworldly glow to cheekbones, collarbones and anywhere you want a bit of extra oomph.
15 of 15Nails INC Beach Bottled Nail Varnishes, £15 each
A little sparkle never hurt anybody. In fact, quite the opposite – Nails INC's new Beach Bottled Nail Varnishes, £15 each, are mood-boosters in polish form, with four sunset-inspired shades. Our pick is That Tan Life, thanks to its molten-gold shimmer finish.